The recent events that helped to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 -- although somber and reverent in context -- showed how movers and shakers in sports unite their forces to honor an historic event.

No sports business category is changing faster (some might say it's in turmoil) than college sports -- specifically at the Division I-A level. Just this weekend, Pittsburgh and Syracuse formally bolted from the Big East to join the ACC. And mighty programs like the University of Miami and the University of Oregon are under investigation for dealing with a now-imprisoned booster and a questionable recruiting service, respectively. Yikes! Why would any sane marketer associate their brand with college sports right now? Well, here are a few reasons to consider:

Thankfully, we still hear incessant cries from sponsor and property clients that beyond measuring reach, determining ROI or ROO is tantamount to designing and executing an effective sports marketing program. As researchers and sports marketers, long trained in the nuances of designing and executing research to do just this, we recognize that just as every activation hopefully has some unique element or creative differentiator, so too must the research studies designed to measure their impact.

After a summer filled with turmoil and controversy, college football is finally back in action. While schools like the University of Miami, Ohio State University, University of North Carolina and the University of Southern California still have consequences to deal with in regards to their football programs, it's not stopping anyone from being ecstatic about the 2011-12 college football season. People need to get their minds off of the economy, and college football is just what the doctor ordered.